Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam

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Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam
Image:Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam.gif
Wii version cover art
Developer(s) Wii: Toys For Bob
DS: Vicarious Visions
GBA: Visual Impact
PS2: SuperVillain Studios
Publisher(s) Activision
Platform(s) Wii, Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance, PlayStation 2
Release date Nintendo DS

Flag of the United States October 24, 2006
Flag of Australia November 8, 2006
Flag of Europe November 10, 2006
Game Boy Advance
Flag of the United States November 7, 2006
Wii
Flag of the United States November 14, 2006
Flag of Europe December 8, 2006
Flag of Australia December 13, 2006
PlayStation 2
Flag of the United States May 8, 2007
Flag of Europe June 8, 2007
Genre(s) Extreme sports, racing game
Mode(s) single player, multiplayer, online multiplayer (Nintendo DS only)
Rating(s) ESRB: Everyone 10+ (E-10, DS and GBA versions)
ESRB: Teen (T, Wii and PS2 versions)
OFLC: General (G)
Input methods Wii Remote (Wii)

Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam is a video game in the Tony Hawk series. The game was a launch title for Nintendo's Wii, and is also available for the Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance, and PlayStation 2.

As a departure from Neversoft’s Tony Hawk games, Downhill Jam emphasizes gaining speed and racing opponents, as well as competing for high scores and completing goals.

Contents

[edit] Featured Characters

  • Tony Hawk
  • Ammon
  • Budd
  • Crash
  • Gunnar
  • Jynx
  • Kyla
  • Mackenzie
  • Tiffany
  • Armondo Ootbagh
  • Kevin Staab
  • Fang (PS2 version only)
  • Skyler (PS2 version only)
  • Victor (PS2 version only)

[edit] Wii version

The version of Downhill Jam for Wii was developed by Toys For Bob, developer of Disney’s Extreme Skate Adventure and the game adaptation of Madagascar.

As in older Tony Hawk’s games, there are game modes for high scores and completing goals, but a high-speed racing mode is also included. Tricks are used in part to reach secret and alternate routes, although revert and manual tricks are absent from the game. This formula is similar to that used in the SSX series of snowboarding games.

The Wii version features a multiplayer mode with four players competing head-to-head in splitscreen. While online play was announced within early development, it is now known that this game does not include online play.

[edit] Controls

For control, the Wii Remote is held sideways, like a NES controller, with no nunchuk attachment. Turning as well as performing aerial flips is done by tilting the controller. Button 1 is an all-purpose trick button used for grinding, attacking opponents, and performing flip tricks. Button 2 is used to crouch and build up speed, as well as to ollie, sticker slap, and grab while in the air.

Manuals and reverts are not present in this title, but entering the cheat code "IMISSMANUALS" will enable manuals to string tricks along down the course.

[edit] Nintendo DS version

The Nintendo DS version was developed by Vicarious Visions, who gained much experience with the Tony Hawk franchise by adapting almost every previous version for Game Boy Advance as well as Tony Hawk’s American Sk8land for Nintendo DS.

The DS version has six tracks, each four times larger than a typical level from Tony Hawk’s American Sk8land. In its story, you recruit skaters into your skate crew and battle a rival crew run by Antonio Segul (a reference to Tony Hawk, being a bird's name), an oldschool skater trapped in the 80s. The DS version has a similar character set to the Wii version, as well as the ability to create a character and customize his or her appearance, stats, and special tricks.

The DS version maintains a traditional Tony Hawk control scheme, and much of the same trick set from Sk8land. However, flip tricks can now be held like grab tricks, reverts are eliminated, and the bert slide has been optimized for downhill racing. Additionally a combo buffer has been implemented. When a combo is broken, the player has a few seconds (a buffer) to start a trick again and save the combo. The player is allowed 20 buffers per combo, making the maximum score of 100 million points per combo still difficult to obtain.

[edit] Nintendo Wi-Fi

According to IGN's Craig Harris, "the online component in the game easily makes Tony Hawk one of the deepest multiplayer titles on the system."[1]

[edit] Online Community

The DS Version has an integrated online community at http://ds.downhill-jam.com which is designed by Spiral Design Studio and developed and managed by Agora Games.

The community website's About Page[2] lists a number of the game's Nintendo Wi-Fi features, including players' ability to upload and share scores and game replays, as well as create and join Sk8 Crews with friends on the community site. There is concern amongst the community about the merit of the scoreboards since some players use exploits to obtain high scores. Others refuse to use "cheap lines" at the expense of a potentially higher score.

Additional Content

New content is regularly released for the game, including one new downloadable challenge every week. Additionally, community members can work together to achieve Community Unlockables - new characters and downloadable art, unlocked when a community-wide goal has been achieved.[3]

Art Editor

The Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam Art Editor allows players to create custom Graffiti and Skate Decks, as well as Torsos and Pants for their skaters. Custom art can be uploaded, downloaded, rated, and shared on the community site. Players are allowed to store an unlimited amount of artwork in their online collections.

[edit] Online Multiplayer

The game's Wi-Fi compatibility connects Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam players from around the world in the game modes listed below.

Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam DS supports live voice chat with friends during game play.[1] This is activated by pressing a button on the touch screen. Players are able to talk for up to five seconds at a time.

Unfortunately, friend matches are region locked. It is unknown if this is just a temporary bug or a permanent limitation.

Head to Head (2 to 4 players)

  • Random Play
  • Race
  • Score Run
  • Elimination Race
  • Elimination Skate
  • Air Time
  • Grind Distance
  • Price is Wrong
  • Jam Style
  • Combo Mambo
  • Endurance Score

Co-op (2 players)

  • Team Marks
  • Team Jam Style
  • Team Score
  • Proximity Score
  • Team Air Time
  • Proximity Air Time
  • Team Grind Distance
  • Proximity Grind Distance
  • Team Time Trial
  • Proximity Time Trial

[edit] Soundtrack

Compiled both from the Nintendo Wii & The Nintendo DS versions.

[edit] Reviews

Downhill Jam has met with mixed reviews. See below:

[edit] DS

  • Metacritic: 76/100[4]
  • IGN: 87
  • Official Nintendo Magazine UK: 83
  • Games Radar: 80
  • GameSpy: 80
  • Worth Playing: 78
  • Nintendo Power: 75
  • GameDaily: 70
  • 1UP: 70
  • GameSpot: 6.6/10
  • EuroGamer: 60

[edit] Wii

  • Metacritic: 69/100[5]
  • Official Nintendo Magazine UK: 8.5/10
  • Games Radar: 80/100
  • GameSpy: 80/100
  • Electronic Gaming Monthly: 7.5/10
  • Nintendo Power: 7.5/10
  • 1UP: 7.5/10
  • Yahoo! Games: 7.0/10
  • IGN: 7.0/10
  • Play Magazine: 70/100
  • GameTrailers: 68/100
  • GamePro: 65/100
  • GameSpot: 6/10
  • EuroGamer: 5/10
  • Game Informer: 50/100
  • Edge Magazine: 5/5
  • G4 TV: 2/5

[edit] PlayStation 2

  • Metacritic: 62/100[6]
  • Games Radar: 60
  • GameSpot: 5.9
  • IGN: 55

[edit] Trivia

 Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines.
The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.
  • The bonus characters on the PS2 version (Fang, Skyler and Victor) all have their move sets and winning taunts based on other characters. Fang's are based on Mackenzie's, Skyler's are based on Jynx's and Victor's are based on Kevin Staab's.
  • It could be that Armondo Ootbagh is Crash's father. The reason for this could be in their interview segments, where Ootbagh breaks into tears after saying that he "knew his father," whereas Crash, even though he never knew him, reckons that his father went on to become a secret character in a video game, where Ootbagh is situated in this very game.
  • Crash had previously had a relationship with Mackenzie, which resulted in him receiving a broken heart and a broken arm.
  • According to Jynx, Crash's real name is 'Gaylord.' The reason why she knows this because she went to same high school as him.
  • Kevin Staab is the only other pro besides Tony Hawk to appear in this game.
  • Crash is referred as 'Crazy Crash' on the official website.
  • Kyla has the same ringtone as the videophone used in the story mode of Tony Hawk's Project 8.
  • Budd makes an indirect reference to the movie Mean Girls by saying he forgot the name of "that movie with the mean girls". The interviewer replies that it's good that he doesn't remember in fear of a lawsuit.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Harris, Craig. Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam DS Review. Retrieved on 2007-05-18.
  2. ^ THDJ DS Community About Page. Retrieved on 2007-05-18.
  3. ^ THDJ DS Community Unlockables. Retrieved on 2007-05-18.
  4. ^ Metacritic: Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam DS, <http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ds/tonyhawksdownhilljam?q=downhill%20jam>. Retrieved on 18 May 2007 
  5. ^ Metacritic: Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam Wii, <http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/wii/tonyhawksdownhilljam?q=downhill%20jam>. Retrieved on 18 May 2007 
  6. ^ Metacritic: Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam PS2, <http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ps2/tonyhawksdownhilljam?q=downhill%20jam>. Retrieved on 18 May 2007 

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Tony Hawk's video games